Reading Time: < 1 minute Cattle producers wanting to expand or maintain herds — in a time of nationwide herd contraction — are the expected beneficiaries for a new loan program from Farm Credit Canada. FCC on Tuesday announced what it calls the Replacement Heifer Program, consisting of a loan with a maximum loan life of seven years and a […] Read more
FCC to offer beef heifer replacement loans
Loan program for those wanting to build, maintain herds
U.S. grains: Corn choppy, wheat hits new contract low
Market eyes USDA's monthly supply-demand report for price direction
Reading Time: 2 minutes Chicago | Reuters — Chicago corn futures were choppy and wheat futures slid to the lowest level since May on Monday as traders scrambled to adjust their positions ahead of a key government crop report. Corn futures firmed late in the session on short-covering, and as market players debated how big the cuts to the […] Read more
U.S. livestock: CME feeder cattle, deferred live cattle set highs on tight supply
Hog futures down on lower export sales
Reading Time: 2 minutes Chicago | Reuters — U.S. feeder cattle futures and deferred live cattle futures climbed to new peaks on Friday, as limited U.S. supplies continued to propel prices. Inventories of U.S. cattle dwindled to their lowest levels in decades after producers reduced their herds over the last year because drought reduced the availability of pastures for […] Read more
Australian crop estimates adjusted slightly lower
Crop seen down 34 per cent from last year
Reading Time: < 1 minute MarketsFarm — Total 2023-24 winter crop production in Australia, at an estimated 45.2 million tonnes, is expected to be 34 per cent off the record highs hit last year but slightly above the June forecast as upward revisions to canola and barley counter a downward revision to the wheat number, according to the latest crop […] Read more
U.S. grains: Wheat up off three-month low as Australian crop declines
U.S. corn, soy crop ratings fall more than expected
Reading Time: 2 minutes Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Board of Trade wheat futures edged higher on Tuesday, after hitting a three-month low, amid short covering and concerns about dry weather threatening production in export hubs including Australia. Corn futures also rose, while the soybean market eased as traders awaited the start of U.S. harvesting. After the markets closed, […] Read more
Feed weekly outlook: Feed barley, wheat prices coming down
Feedlots' use of U.S. corn adds pressure
Reading Time: 2 minutes MarketsFarm — Despite a hot and dry summer across much of the Prairies, prices for feed barley and feed wheat have fallen off over the past month. The high-delivered bid for Alberta feed barley was $8.06 per bushel, $1.42 less than one month ago, according to Prairie Ag Hotwire. Those in Saskatchewan and Manitoba were […] Read more
U.S. grains: Soybeans dip, despite exports
Damage to Canada's durum could impact pasta prices
Reading Time: 2 minutes Chicago | Reuters — Chicago soybean prices fell for a second session on Wednesday, despite recent export activity, with analysts pointing to traders squaring positions heading into the end of the month. Wheat traded higher, supported by global demand and concerns about Canada’s crop. Corn was near even as traders wait for the harvest to […] Read more
Pulse weekly outlook: Lentils, peas show large declines in StatCan report
Chickpea, soy production expected up on the year
Reading Time: 2 minutes MarketsFarm — Statistics Canada (StatCan) showed a mostly tightened outlook for Canadian pulses in its first model-based supply/demand estimates for the 2023-24 marketing year. StatCan on Tuesday released those projections, which largely presented a reduction in yields due to ongoing dry conditions on the Prairies. As of July 31, Canadian dry field pea output was […] Read more
Canada to harvest less wheat than expected due to drought
Canola, barley, oats output also projected lower
Reading Time: 2 minutes Winnipeg | Reuters — Canadian farmers will harvest less wheat than expected after dry conditions in parts of the Prairie provinces shrunk yields, a government report showed on Tuesday. Drought is expected to send global wheat stockpiles for major exporters to the lowest levels in more than a decade, a Reuters analysis has shown. Canada […] Read more
Panama Canal’s drought-induced bottleneck eases
Some vessels detour; transits per day still reduced
Reading Time: 2 minutes Panama City | Reuters — A backlog of vessels waiting to pass the Panama Canal due to drought-related restrictions has eased in recent days after the waterway’s authority authorized more non-booked ships to pass and as others are choosing alternate routes to avoid the delays. The Panama Canal Authority last week opened two additional slots […] Read more
A message from April Stewart, Country Guide's Associate Editor
